Notes

1] First published pseudonymously, under the name "Immerito," in 1579, with an introductory letter to Spenser's friend Gabriel Harvey and notes or "glosses" by "E.K.," possibly Edward Kirke, another Cambridge friend. It was reissued four times in Spenser's lifetime. The text here printed is based on the first edition. The poem is a series of twelve pastoral eclogues "proportionable to the twelve monethes," suggested by the pastorals of Theocritus, Virgil, Mantuan, and Marot; the idea of a "shepherds' almanac" perhaps came from the widely known Kalendrier des Bergers. Spenser follows "the example of the best and most auncient Poetes," especially Virgil, in beginning his poetic career with pastorals, employs the traditional modes of pastoral, e.g., the debate, the singing-match, the love-complaint, the elegy, with incidental satiric and personal allusions, and in his use of archaic and dialectal forms, interestingly defended by E. K. in his introduction, consciously imitates the "homely" language of Theocritus and displays his admiration for Chaucer, though Sidney, to whom the poem was dedicated, disapproved of this practice. E.K. classifies the eclogues as "plaintive," "recreative," and "moral, which for the most part be mixed with some satyrical bitternesse." "Aprill" is recreative; "October" is moral.
"This Æglogue is purposely intended to the honor and prayse of our most gracious sovereigne, Queene Elizabeth" (E.K.).
Æloga: mistakenly for Lat. ecloga (Gr. eklog{ee}), a selection or short poem. E.K. derives ecloga from Gr. aigonom{o}n logoi, "goatherds' tales," hence the spelling.
Thenot: presumably one of Spenser's Cambridge friends; the name comes from Marot's pastorals.
Hobbinoll: Gabriel Harvey.
garres thee greete: "causeth thee weepe and complain" (E.K.); Northern dialect.

5] attempred: "agreeable to the season of the yeare, that is Aprill, which moneth is most bent to showres and seasonable rayne" (E.K.).

10] the ladde: Colin Clout (i.e., Spenser), whose love-complaintis the theme of "January" and "June."

11] a lasse: Rosalind; see line 27.

17] What is he for a Ladde: what kind of lad can he be?

18] prove: experience it.

19] to make: "to rime and versifye" (E.K.).

21] kenst: knowest.
the Southerne shepheardes boye: probably a reference to the fact that in 1578 Spenser was secretary to John Young, Bishop of Rochester.

24] Forcing: striving.

25] is starte: is turned away.

26-27] the Widdowes daughter . . .fayre Rosalind. We do not know who Rosalind was, though there have been many guesses. In a note to "January" E.K. says that Rosalind "is ... a feigned name, which being wel ordered [i.e., it is an anagram] wil bewray the very name of hys love," and in his note to this passage adds that she is called "the Widdowes daughter of the glenne" to "concele the person," for "shee is a Gentle woman of no meane house."

28] frenne: stranger (OE.fremde).

29] trimly dight: neatly fashioned.

41] Virgins: the nine Muses, daughters of Memory, "whose abode the Poets faine to be on Parnassus, a hill in Grece, for that in that countrye specially florished the honor of all excellent studies" (E.K.).

42] Helicon: in the classical tradition a mountain in Boeotia, from which sprang the fountains of the Muses, Hippocrene and Aganippe; Spenser follows the mediaeval tradition in calling Helicon a well; Chaucer calls it "Elicon the clere well."

43] blaze: proclaim.

50] Syrinx: "a Nymph of Arcadia, whom when Pan being in love pursued, she flying from him, of the Gods was turned into a reede" (E.K.).

51] Pan: "by that name, oftymes ... be noted kings and mighty Potentates; and in some places Christ himselfe, who is the verye Pan and god of Shepheardes'' (E.K.).

59] Cremosin: crimson.

65] Ph{oe}be: "the moone, whom the Poets faine to be sister unto Phoebus, that is the Sunne" (E.K.); in late classical mythology Phoebe was identified with Diana (Cynthia); see line 82.

68] the Redde rose ... yfere: not only a tribute to the Queen's complexion, but a reference to the union of the houses of York and Lancaster in the Tudor line.
medled: mingled.
yfere: together.

81] to have the overthrow: to be sure to be worsted.

86-90] Niobe, daughter of Tantalus and wife of Amphion, boasted that her seven sons and seven daughters made her superior to Leto (Latona) who had only two, Apollo and Diana. In revenge Apollo and Diana slew her children with arrows, and she wept until transformed into stone.

92] Bellibone: fair maid.

99] Though tired and covered with sweat.

100] Calliope: the Muse of epic poetry.

104] Bay braunches: ''the signe of honor and victory'' (E.K.).

109] the graces: "three sisters, the daughters of Jupiter (whose names are Aglaia, Thalia, Euphrosyne . . .), otherwise called Charites, that is thanks. Whom the Poets feyned to be the Goddesses of al bountie and comelines'' (E.K.). See F.Q., VI, x, xxii-xxiv below.

111] deffly: nimbly, gracefully.
soote: sweetly.

118] rennes: runs.

120] Ladyes of the lake. The Lady of the Lake, from the Arthurian legend, was one of the allegorical figures in the famous entertainment presented to Queen Elizabeth at Kenilworth in 1575.
behight: called.

121] Chloris: the nymph who had "chiefdome and soveraigntye of al flowres and greene herbes" (E.K.).

135] tawdrie lace: lace sold at the fair of St. Audrey (Etheldreda), October 17.

136-44] Such "flower passages'' as this were commonplaces in late Latin literature. Spenser's passage was often imitated by later poets, e.g. by Drayton, John Fletcher, and perhaps by Milton in Lycidas.
Coronations: carnations.
Sops in wine: clove-pinks.
Pawnce: pansy.
Chevisaunce: not identified.
flowre Delice: fleur-de-lis, as in the royal coat of arms.

152] Damsines: damson-plums.

154] thilk: this.

155] yblent: blinded.

156] taking: condition.

157] caren: the Middle English plural form.

158] Sicker: certainly.
fon: fool.

162] Thenots Embleme. Both "emblems", or "Poesyes" as E.K. calls them, come from Aeneas' address to Venus in Virgil, Æneid, I, 327-28: ''What shall I call thee' O maiden? ... O goddess surely !''

Other poems by Edmund Spenser